The Evolution Theory: Reproduction
by Silent Steel
Summary: Despite the title, there's no sex in this, nor is it a story. It's an essay of sorts, containing my thoughts and opinions of Transformer Reprodcution. Includes Gen1, BW, and BM.


*gets nudged out of the shadows by two of her BW/BM chars, Sanguine and  
Coravix*  
  
*looks around shyly* Umm . . . Hi!  
  
Just thought I should pass on the 'theory'--  
  
Coravix: The Spammy Lecture.  
  
Shush.  
  
The theory I came up with, and that GaelicVixen and I are using as a  
basis for Transformer physiology/reproduction--  
  
Sanguine: *sniggers*  
  
Shut up, or I'm sticking you in the sensory deprivation chamber again.  
  
Sanguine: . . . . .   
  
*slaps duct tape over Sang's mouth*  
  
There we go . . . . now, back to the topic at hand. The   
'theory' GV and I use as a common base when we write in   
Megatron, Sanguine, Jetstorm, Coravix, Optimus Prime, Soundwave, or any  
of the other Cybertronians. Doesn't change how we write their  
personalities, but does give a common base of what they're physically  
capable.  
  
The theory is that their method of reproduction has actually   
evolved as they have, as has their physiology, over time. Also a  
result of my trying to get the BW & BM 'sparks' to work in the G1  
world, which has 'brains' (from the comic) or as I call them, Cores  
(most noticable in the Nightbird Episode).  
  
Lets start with the Core/Spark debate. Believe it or not, this ties in  
deeply into the reproduction problem. But first, we need to define  
what a core or spark /is/.  
  
I picture a Core as a metal cylinder or otherwise rough similiar shape,  
within it a crystalline matrix that stores the memory, the personality,  
the very soul of the transformer. Without this, they're nothing more   
than a very physically sophisticated automaton, completely obedient,  
but doing /no more than what you tell them to do/. The same as any  
version of the basic computer, in other words. Without the core/spark,  
they can't feel, think, get angry, or love. Soul-less puppets.  
  
Within the Core it is through energy that information is stored, energy  
shaped by the crystalline matrix of the core to form thought and   
consciousness. As time goes by, and technology increases, the amount  
of crystal needed to form the core declines, until there's only a few   
pieces left. The rest is all maintained by a support system that   
evolved from the simple lead container.  
  
Such a form of life would be both more and less durable than the   
previous crystalline form. Less physically fragile than the crystal   
(/sound waves/ can shatter it), it would also require a higher amount  
of energy, which would explain the 'energy famine' that prompts the   
transformers to leave Cybertron in the first place.  
  
But, however, the transformers labeled Generation 1 (TV series up to  
the movie normally, including after-movie continuity only vaguely)  
wouldn't be able to make full use of the spark form for a core due to  
one simple thing: It's not fuel efficient for them. Their sheer /size/  
renders it impossible. Even Optimus Prime, who had the closest thing  
to a spark in having the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, needed the  
containment frame of the matrix to maintain his 'spark', the actual  
Matrix (Also called the 'Creation Matrix'). Which explains Optimus  
Primal's transformation at the end of Season2/beginning of Season3 of  
Beast Wars, when he has to host Optimus Prime's spark within his own  
body while Prime's is repaired.  
  
On to the physical evolution of the Cybertronian.  
  
Those of generation 1, of Optimus Prime, Rodimus Prime's times, are   
machines with a 'soul'. Their interior complexity, however, places  
them on level with basic organic life forms. They can starve, bleed to  
death, die from wounds, get poisoned by bad fuel, and become stiff with  
age. For them, transformation is simply an application of will,  
started by a single thought.  
  
'Age' to them is a bit of a flaky judgement to use, and less   
dependent on age of body than maturity of personality. To case an   
example, the Decepticon Shockwave is generally accepted as the oldest   
Cybertronian alive, but Autobots Ironhide and Kup /act/ older than he   
does. It's almost purely an emotional thing with them, only mildly   
influenced by the age of their frame.  
  
Back on tangent . . . Generation One transformers are, in a nutshell,   
the archtypical machine with a soul. However, when we reach Beast Wars  
and BM, things get /much/ more complex. To start it off, we need to add  
a little bit of backhistory for the sudden jump in evolution.  
  
We finally reach the end of the great war between Autobots and   
Decepticons, and the start of a new age on Cybertron . . . a truce lies  
between the factions, hammered out and set in place by the smallest   
sentient species they know. Humans. For unlike Cybertronians of   
previous ages, it is /normal/ for a human to come in a shade of grey,   
neither one nor the other. And it is with human interference that the   
final jump from not quite core to full fledged spark is acheived.  
  
In a concert effort with humans that chose the exile to Cybertron when   
Earth was declared off-limits to the high-tech race, scientists of both  
factions developed a new generation, much smaller and far more  
adaptable then their large parents.  
  
The new transformers ranged in height from nearly human-short, five to   
six feet, to a little over twice that in the ten-fourteen foot height.   
Overall, height did have some weight on their intended function, with   
the smaller, lighter weight transformers making the bulk of the   
'scienctific' classes, the larger the 'warrior' classes. However,  
unlike their forefathers, size had less impact on ability, and it was  
common to see short 'n squat or short 'n slim in the ranks of those  
training to fight. Or the large, bulky/slender types in the science  
classes.  
  
Originally, there was only one faction for the new ones, the   
Maximals. Until the Decepticon scientists developed new bots of the   
same type who had /only/ Decepticon peramiters as their basic program.   
This new generation of Decepticons took the name of Predacons, after  
the beast-Decepticons of old.  
  
Somehow, the peace between the factions has held, until the day   
Megatron's descendent steals the golden disk, sparking off the Beast   
Wars.  
  
But now to point out the biggest differences between the generations,   
other than size.  
  
1)Adaption:  
The new generations are capable of adapting to a planet's   
pre-existing ecosystem, unlike their forebearers who had to take  
harsher means to ensure their survival if the planet was hostile,  
through donning alternate forms taken from the dominant lifeform(s) of  
the planet. Or the most durable of them, depending on the  
presence/lack of sentient life. The drawback of this organic form is  
that it's as alive as they are. They can bleed to death from wounds to  
it, or otherwise be damaged. A cold caught in beast mode continues to  
affect their robot mode after transformation by screwing up the portion  
of their CPU that deals with the beast mode. Due to evolved subspace  
technology, the mass difference between Beast Mode and Robot Mode is  
easily explained away, but that /also/ means that both systems are  
constantly being maintained and watched by the transformer's CPU.  
  
2)Repair:  
They are self-repairing through a nanite technology, especially if   
they have an alternate form to reside safely in while self-repairing.   
Only the most severe of wounds, loss of limbs, or viruses needs to be   
seen to by a medic or the repair chamber. However, for organic   
problems, such as disease or other illnesses, they need to look to   
organic cures or letting the problem running it's course. Just because  
the bulk of the energy-cycling and distilling systems are in subspace  
doesn't mean they cease working entirely.  
  
3)Energy Efficiency:  
Without a doubt, these new Cybertronians are /the/ best thing for   
running on skimpy energy supplies. Their beast modes are capable of   
consuming and generating energy from the food the beast mode eats,  
plus, their 'recharge' (sleep) mode will slowly replenish used energy  
stores. Their need for the ultra-processed source of energy that is  
energon is minimal, except for powering their weapons. While they  
/will/ eventually starve to death without it, that would be a LONG time  
in coming. Far enough off in occurring, that they could find/process  
an   
alternative to energon in the meantime.  
  
4)Faction Flexiblity:  
Maximal. Predacon. While ultimately loyal to their faction, this  
new generation ackowledges that /they change over time/. While it  
would   
take a lot to change them, any Maximal, or Predacon, may choose to   
change their faction due to the stresses/changes in their lives. The   
one documented in the TV series Beast Wars was that of Black Arachnia's  
becoming a Maximal.   
  
5) Protoforms:  
When in the stasis of a 'protoform', an unshaped, no-beast mode   
beginning state used for colonizing planets, the Cybertronian is  
neither faction, non-sentient . . nothing more then a spark on life  
support and a shapeless mass of nanites. Until the Pod's programming  
is  
initialized to give the protoform shape and faction, the protoform lies  
dormant, and completely unaware of it's surroundings. This is also  
where it becomes obvious that not /all/ of a transformer's personality  
is inheirit in their spark. That which is a result of experience comes  
also from memory . . and the protoform reprogramming to Predacon proves  
that there's a fundamental /initial/ difference in programming between  
them.  
  
6) CPU:  
First and foremost . . . BW cybertronians /acknowledge/ that they're  
an energy entity in a physical shell. While the majority of their body  
is under their control, certain subroutines are only triggerable by   
vocal commands to the subcomputer in their systems. Visual  
magnification, transformation, alternate flight capablities to name a  
few. There's further differences through this, but that will be  
acknowledged not too much later.  
  
  
Now for the ~*juicy stuff*~. Reproduction. ;)  
  
Actually, this just might be as dry a topic as the rest of this . . .   
*sweatdrop* . . . but onward!  
  
The early stages of Cybertronian reproduction probably went as could be  
expected for a mechanical being . . . mass factory or individual lab   
creation. No nascent times, no childhood, and quick to become fully   
capable of their pre-set functions. Still with the near  
fully-protected core or brain, there is little need for gender in this  
time of deliberately designed construction. For all distinctions, they  
are all 'male'. Don't get squimish on me now . . . yes, the would have  
paired off (or in groups) and loved one another. The side effect of  
sentience is emotion, after all. ;) Likely as a side effect, even now  
a same-sex pairing is part of the normal social enviroment on  
Cybertron.  
  
But as time goes by, and the necessary size for a core shrinks, both  
the energy and the development time needed to make a new core changes.   
Thus, introducing those who specialize in new core production.   
Eventually, some new bots are introduced where the ability to make a  
new core is something innate, where the process is done internally even  
if it takes more time.   
  
~BAM!~   
  
The first females of Cybertron.  
  
At this point, they probably don't look any different from the males,   
other than the structural changes internally to provide new cores.   
And, as they're just a backup system in case the labs/factories are   
destroyed, there's not too many of them. Possibly even so small a  
ratio as one female for every two thousand males.  
  
It's entirely possible that initially, the process simply required a   
single female to create a new core, while the male made the body for   
their 'offspring'. Again, no real childhood, as the new transformer   
would quickly join the ranks of adult Transformers. By my thinking,  
the programming/life-giving finale to the creation of the core would be  
a   
mutual process, in order to pass on the best traits of both parents.   
At this stage of things, it would be a passage of energy between the  
parents by cables, likely a very pleasurable process. After all, if  
it's not fun, why do it even rarely when there's the factories that can  
do almost the same thing?  
  
As time goes by, energy becomes slowly more and more scarce, a new   
question is raised. Are these females of enough species-viable worth   
keeping alive? The answer is a firm /yes/ if their ability to make a   
core internally has not only upgraded with the core tech, but also  
takes less energy than the factory process. Not only would this change  
their appearance over time to reflect a more 'feminine' look in our  
eyes,   
but also give them great value to the species as a whole especially in  
war. This value also puts them in danger of being used as a /resource/  
in the great Autobot-Decepticon war.  
  
If by now they'e anything like the females of earth, it does explain  
their near-unanimous defection from Cybertron, lead by Optimus Prime's  
mate, Alita One. AND their eventual re-appearance as a colony waiting  
for the end of the war to return in the post-movie continuity. Not all  
females left Cybertron, noted by the few seen throughout the entire TV  
series. It also explains the 'No Females On The War Lines' type  
attitude that is often attributed to G1 Megatron, although I do not  
know if this is actually a true trait of his or not.  
  
The next really big step in the Cybertronian reproduction evolotion is  
not for some time . . . not until the development of the next  
generation, of the Maximals and Predacons. And there is when things  
/really/ start resembling the organic methods. Not by accident,  
either, when you realize that humans are a part of this development.  
  
Yes, nookie becomes a part of it!  
  
This is when the females develop the ability to not only host and   
nurture the new spark, but to build a 'first frame' for the new   
Cybertronian, using materials consumed and/or donated from her partner.  
Considering that now the male is donating his own construction and   
design plans to his partner, the child is even more 'his' than before.  
  
The method for this donation/data gift is much the same as you or I   
would get one from a male of our own race. *blush*  
  
Sanguine: /Naew/ ye get sheepish. Spit it aeut. S.E.X. *BFEG*  
  
Grrr . . . stop it!  
  
Sanguine: Then be gettin' aen the ball and be callin' it what it is!  
  
All right, all right, quit pestering me!  
  
Through the process of sex, the male gives to the female not only   
nanites bearing his construction and design plans, but an energy surge   
to start the forming of the new spark. All wrapped up in an liquid   
matrix of raw materials ejaculated into her.  
  
Sanguine: Better . . but ye saeund like a teacher!  
  
HEY! At least I'm speaking it clearly now! Go!   
  
*cough*  
  
Back to the subject . . . why sex? Why not continue with the cables?   
Why give them those additional bits of sensitive metal beneath  
removable armor?  
  
Two words. Human nature.  
  
We know it's fun. We know it /works/. We have hordes of examples of   
that all over our own planet. We are a living example of how it can   
help a species survive by fostering bonds between the parents.  
  
The final factor for it: It's energy efficient in the long run.  
  
The slow development allows for just a slightly greater energy   
consumption from the female over time rather than a HUGE drain all at  
once, and the new generation's tech allows them to get that energy from  
practically anywhere. While the slower development of the new  
transformer sizewize and mentally due to having a childhood guarantees  
two things: emotional development is much fuller before adult duties  
are placed upon them . . . it also secures the females a true place in  
their species.  
  
One side note on BW 'infancy': No such thing. While they are  
developing slower than any Gen1 would, I highly doubt they would have  
that long period of physical weakness that marks human infants. These  
guys are likely up running, and babbling, at warp speed within a few  
weeks at most, days more likely. There might be a short period while  
the child needs refined energon from it's mother for proper growth  
(boobies!), but that wouldn't need to last long.  
  
  
Now to step into territory not gone into by any great deal . . . Beast   
Machines.  
  
Physically, mentally, sexually, it's a BIG step from Beast Wars, both   
forwards and back. A 'finalization' of the quasi-organic stat of the   
beast wars to the fully techno-organic state. Cybertron at this point   
is host to two distinct races of transformer. The technorganic   
Maximal/Predacons, and the fully mechanical Vehicons.  
  
The technorganic beings reproduce, eat, sleep, boink, bleed, and die  
much like we do, although they do have a distinct 'spark' that can be  
removed  
from their bodies, and frequently weapons or other odd traits are part  
of   
them. Plus, they are fully capable of doing split-second  
transformations to and from an alternate beast form. However, the key  
to the transformation is emotional stability . . . triggered by the  
when they feel the most alive, be it current or memory.  
  
For them, reproduction-wise it's a simple matter of quasi-armor that  
can be removed or retracted while in an aroused state.  
  
Vehicons, however, are /way/ back on the evolutionary scale for the   
race. All the way back, it seems, to the early stage mass factory/lab  
productions. In many ways, it seems the only difference between male  
and female for them is simply the mindset of the spark before it was  
implanted into it's Vehicon body. As all come from the factories,  
there's no need for them to reproduce, and that would also be counter  
to the BM Meg's plans.  
  
Vehicons, as part of the races of Cybertron . . . are parasites.   
/Nothing/ they have, not one part of them, is made completely new for   
them. The bodies of Gen1's and Maximal/Predacons are dismantled and   
otherwise scrapped to make Vehicon bodies, and their sparks are  
directly implanted from those Autobots, Maximals, Decepticons, or  
Predacons.  
  
Sanguine: *sticks out her tongue and gives Jetstorm a loud bronx cheer*  
  
Behave.  
  
Well now . . . I can't think of anything further to add . . . Please,   
feel free to ask any questions or send back comments to me. :)  
  
~Silent Steel  
  
Coravix: *takes over the computer to hunt for OPrimal nudie pics*  
  
GAH! 


End file.
